PAC slams Maharashtra govt for delay in installing CCTVs in cities

The Public Accounts Committee said money was allocated in 2013-14, but the network was set up only a couple of years ago

Delay in installing CCTV network in Pune and Mumbai led to lapse of budgetary allocation.(Pic for Representation)

The Public Accounts Committee of the state legislature has rapped the state home department for delay in planning and finalising a design for the installation of the CCTV network in Mumbai, Pune and other cities. The department drew ire as this delay led to lapse of budgetary allocation made during 2013-14. The government had allocated Rs149.78 crore for the network in Mumbai and Pune and Rs200 crore for temporary installation of such cameras during the 2015 Kumbh Mela in Nashik.

“While allocating funds for vital projects, the home department is always given priority. Lapse of funds is unpardonable as it has happened due to inefficiency of the department. The department failed to finalise the bid for the network in Mumbai and it could not complete the installation in due period. Action should be taken against officials responsible for the lapses,” the report said.

The CCTV networks were installed in Mumbai and Pune in the past couple of years. The report also stated that the allocation of Rs1.5 crore for the installation of CCTVs in Gondia has not been utilised owing to lack of planning and design.

The committee also rapped the Urban Development Department for its failure for not utilising 80% of Rs10 crore meant for computerisation of municipal corporations in the state. “Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation had developed a software for the computerisation of corporations. The government had directed civic bodies in the year in 2000 to use it, but they failed to complete the work in due time. The lapse of money was a serious flaw as it halted the expected transparency in the citizen services in corporation,” the report said.

The committee has also pointed at the lack of training given to fire fighting personnel with fire brigades in municipal corporations. It said government agencies failed to utilise the funds allocated for training. The committee then directed municipal corporations and councils to chalk out training sessions for their fire fighters. “The civic bodies have high-end fire fighting equipments, but in the absence of training, equipments render meaningless. The bodies should utilise the training available at Fire Training College at Nagpur and six other empaneled agencies for training,” the report stated.

The report was tabled in the lower House on Thursday by PAC head and Congress MLA Gopaldas Agarwal after examining action taken by the respective departments on the CAG report of 2013-14.